身败名裂
shēn bài míng liè
to lose both position and good name; to be utterly disgraced
Character by character
身shēn
person
person
败bài
ruined
ruined
名míng
name
name
裂liè
torn
torn
Example
一次学术造假，就足以让一位科学家身败名裂。
A single case of academic fraud is enough to ruin a scientist completely.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
Of public figures brought down by scandal, corruption or fraud: the career is finished and the reputation with it. Often 落得身败名裂（的下场）, with the cause stated first. It describes a fall from grace, so it is not used of a plain failure: a business that simply goes bust is 失败, not 身败名裂.
Learn this in Lesson 179 · HSK 7–9: 克隆猴与基因编辑 (Cloned monkeys and edited genes)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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